Business Connexions June 20 Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

Official Magazine for Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce | Issue 10 | June 2020

Inside • Building resilience in challenging times Page 4

• Big Interview with Zaib Chawla of Lanop Accountants Your best friend in business Page 14

• Our amazing Clapham Junction

by Roz Lloyd-Williams, Executive BID Director, The Junction BID

Page 16

• Environment Sustainability is key Page 27

Councillor Ravi Govindia

Leader of Wandsworth Council Supporting local business is crucial Page 10

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WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome to the latest Edition of the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce Magazine Open for business WELCOME to the June edition of Business ConneXions, a quarterly magazine focused on promoting the best our businesses have to offer and highlighting the many opportunities in Wandsworth.

Sharing news and views and promoting businesses across the borough, especially in these Coronavirus times, is a big part of what Wandsworth Chamber and the Business ConneXions magazine is here for and we thank you for your articles, news and continued support.

Wandsworth Chamber is working tirelessly to promote business interests and we remain focused on our priority to support local businesses through this pandemic.

The weekly Wandsworth Coronavirus Business Forums have proved very popular and provide an ongoing public dialogue with Wandsworth Council senior councillors and officers. Through these weekly online Zoom forums, on a Wednesday morning at 11AM, we have been able to help hundreds of local businesses and give your business the opportunity

Inside

June 2020 4-6 7 9 10-11 12 13

Resilience & Recovery Legal News Patron Focus News Battersea

to be heard. Full details of the forums are on the Wandsworth Chamber website and registration is an easy process.

employment, increase business prosperity and develop a sound local economy where we can all prosper once again.

So, what happens next? The road to recovery is long and mostly uphill. At this time, we urge all businesses to ‘Plan for the short term’, ‘Prioritise to survive’ and ‘Persevere to success’, even when all appears lost. There is some little consolation in knowing we are all in this together but now is the time to muster every resolve in our armoury, individually and collectively, and to get our businesses back on track.

There has never been a better time to collaborate and we urge businesses to continue to help each other, work together for the greater good and know that your chamber will be working even harder to help you.

As I did in the last edition, can I ask you to continue to think about your contribution to Wandsworth’s success. If we all did one helpful thing for a neighbour or person in need, that could be 300,000 helpful activities. If we all spend an extra £1 a day locally that could be an extra £300,000 a day invested in Wandsworth.

We also urge you to actively support the Buy Local, Shop Local, Help Local campaigns, whenever you can. With over 300,000 residents and 19,000 businesses, we have a great opportunity to really help each other and by keeping the pound and our efforts in the borough, we will rebuild on our great community, create

16-18 Spotlight on Clapham Junction 21 Ask the Expert 23 Skills 25 Technology 26 News

14

Our Patron Members

Steve Pinto CEO

29 31

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Editor Jez Davison e: Jez@benhampublishing.com

Disclaimer Business Connexions is mailed without charge to all Chamber members and distributed to businesses in the Borough.

Chamber Events Starting Up

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Published June 2020 © Benham Publishing

Studio Mark Etherington e: studio@benhampublishing.com Media No.1719

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Health & Wellbeing The Person Behind the Business

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Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

32 33

Environment Big Interview

If you are not already a member, why not join your chamber and help us to create a supportive business environment. If you are a member, thank you for your support and belief in what we strive to achieve and please tell more businesses about us. We are stronger when we work together, and we can achieve great things when we help one another.

Enquiries Studio F8 (Le Bureau) Battersea Studios 80 Silverthorne Road London SW8 3HE t: 020 3633 6575 e: enquiries@wandsworthchamber.org w: www.wandsworthchamber.org

34

All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce.

Views expressed in publication are not necessarily those of Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission of the Editor. © 2020.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

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Business Connexions | 3

RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY In Britain, businesses that don’t sell essential services, such as food or medical supplies, were ordered to shut down and despite financial measures introduced by the government to protect jobs and incomes, there is huge uncertainty surrounding the state of the economy and how it will look in a few months’ time.

While the health and economic consequences of COVID-19 have been played out often in the media, less attention has been given to the effect the pandemic is having on mental health and well-being.

How do businesses and the staff increase and maintain their resilience so they’re in a better position to cope, both during the crisis and after it has passed?

One tactic that company owners and workers can deploy is to shift their mindset, to alter preconceived attitudes about the crisis that may be affecting their well-being.

Natasha Chatur, a qualified personal coach, says: “Over the past few months, large groups of us will have experienced some of the same adverse events, including lockdown, furlough or redundancy.

We may have also noticed how these same events will have caused quite different reactions in different people.

Building resilience in challenging times The world is facing the biggest health pandemic in living memory. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused chaos across the globe, with countries in lockdown, companies having to temporarily or permanently lay off staff, and the death count rising by the day.

4 | Business Connexions

“We often think it’s the event – lockdown, for example – that has caused the reactions.

In cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the principle is that it’s not the actual event that has caused our reaction, but our interpretation of it. Cognitive behavioural coaching (CBC) goes on to suggest our reaction and behaviour is a function of our environment, thoughts, feelings and physiology. So, for example, if we were to change our thoughts or feelings about the event, we could change our reaction and our behaviour.”

Natasha works with middle and senior managers in SMEs, helping them to maximise their potential. She refers to the ABC model – that adversity occurs, beliefs are created and consequences happen – which is an approach that encourages optimism not just as a way of being more productive and successful, but as a skill that can be improved and called upon in times of adversity.

“It suggests that you can’t affect the event that has caused you adversity, but you can shift your beliefs,” she says.

RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY “Sometimes our beliefs can be inaccurate, incorrectly assumed or influenced.

Shifting beliefs can help open up different perspectives, evidence-based beliefs and crucially, more positive thoughts, feelings and behaviours to contribute to a happier disposition, from which can stem productivity and success.

“As we all begin to navigate a way back to a new normal in both our personal and professional lives, it’s worth considering that to focus on what can be changed and accept what is outside of our control is a way to build resilience, thereby supporting ourselves to deal with adversity now and in the future.”

Sometimes, the simple things can improve wellbeing. Focusing on something positive in the outside world – the sea, sunshine, the sound of birds – can help to relax the mind. Meditation and breathing exercises can help to control and manage stressful situations or even panic attacks. Joining a What’s App group to converse with friends, family members and work colleagues can also be beneficial.

Taking these measures not only helps to promote positive wellbeing on an individual level, it also helps to put businesses on a healthier footing. Good wellbeing directly links to an increase in productivity, efficiency and effectiveness while boosting energy and motivation levels. It creates improved health, better concentration and problem-solving abilities, while strengthening relationships, which increases trust and cooperation between individuals and teams.

From a company’s point of view, resilience can be strengthened by adhering to the old adage “cash is king”, especially in the current challenging trading environment.

Many firms may be facing a loss of income due to being unable to trade normally, while still having to cope with the burden of paying overheads. Financially resilient firms with strong cash reserves can call upon them during this period of emergency, rather than taking out loans and other forms of debt which may carry high interest charges.

Those without a lot of cash in the bank can focus on other practical measures to stem the outward flow of money, such as delaying payment of liabilities and conducting a business audit to see where further operational efficiencies and savings could be made.

In a perverse way, some businesses are benefiting from the crisis; for example, those that provide healthcare services and medical products. Others, however, are quieter than usual and in some cases, have no work at all.

Companies that fall into the latter category could use existing downtime to nurture client relationships. With face-to-face contact at a premium in this new age of social distancing, companies can stay in touch with clients via Skype, Zoom and other digital channels. It’s unlikely to be the time to be aggressively pushing paid services, putting up prices or upselling to existing clients. This could be viewed as blatant profiteering, an idea that might work in the very short term but unlikely to prosper for long.

Clients could even see this tactic as exploitative and resent it – and the last thing any company wants in an uncertain economic environment is to jeopardise a relationship with a client.

A more subtle approach is needed, one that keeps a brand active in the community and at the forefront of people’s minds.

Laura Shimili, a photographer in Wandsworth, adopted this approach when the coronavirus disrupted her usual line of work.

Laura, whose business is called Laura Shimili Mears Photography, says: “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I have had to put my work on hold as my focus is working with babies, families and businesses for headshots and website photographs.

“To do something useful with my skills and to capture a moment in history, I decided to start taking “doorstep photographs in lockdown” for charity. Taking the photographs from a safe distance of three metres away, I am doing them for families in my immediate area in Tooting Bec. I have raised £1030 so far for St. George’s Hospital; the funds will be used for their coronavirus appeal.”

To donate please visit https://www.facebook.com/donate /556773628172149/?fundraiser_ source=external_url

Phil Robinson of Paint the Town Green (PTTG) is also taking an innovative approach to doing business in the lockdown. The company offers a one-stop bespoke painting and decorating service but has had to temporarily close its showroom due to COVID-19.

He says: “When lockdown was announced, we decided there was a clear way we could do our bit to help during isolation. Aware that many people are keen to tackle their own decorating, we produced a batch of online tutorials which answer common questions and problems people have when it comes to decorating. The tutorials cover a range of topics including how to prepare cracks in the wall for painting and how to use decorators’ caulk.

“We’ve also introduced a free knock and drop delivery for all local orders to help people stay safe at home. This has been a relief for many who are otherwise struggling to get hold of paint.

“DIY is not for everyone, though, and there are homeowners out there who still want to forge ahead with a professional home redecoration project despite lockdown.

We’re spending quite a bit of time quoting for jobs remotely and are getting bookings into our post-lockdown diary.”

Both Phil and Natasha are examples of how to build resilience by adapting and staying flexible in a fast-evolving, unpredictable situation. Some lockdown restrictions are cautiously being lifted as companies try to get back to work.

“When lockdown was announced, we decided there was a clear way we could do our bit to help during isolation. Aware that many people are keen to tackle their own decorating, we produced a batch of online tutorials which answer common questions and problems people have when it comes to decorating.”

Business Connexions | 5

RESILIENCE AND RECOVERY

Robert Scrafton, director of London Retail Services, has produced a coronavirus action plan for reopening retail stores. The plan is aimed at fashion or lifestyle stores but is mostly relevant for any public-facing business getting ready to open again. It covers a range of HR and health and safety issues to be considered, including the following: HR issues before employees return and store opens: • Individual risk assessments for personnel • Training of managers and provision of checklists • Try to keep groups of employees separate by different shifts • Stagger shift times to avoid too many staff arriving/leaving together • Try to allow staff to travel outside rush hours • Allow extra working time for cleaning and preparing PPE H&S issues before employees return and store opens: • Conduct premises risk assessment • Conduct premises/equipment checks (e.g. fire safety, electrics, IT systems) • Establish supply/purchasing system for PPE: masks/gloves/sanitisers • Establish system for issuing/storing/ disposing of supplies of PPE centralised “hygiene station” for staff • Put up signage/posters - for staff and public • Establish 2m markings on the floor • Establish a “hygiene station” at entrance of store for public – sanitiser/masks/ gloves/tissues available – it would be necessary for a member of staff to man the station and explain measures required from the public while in store

6 | Business Connexions

HR issues after employees return and store opens: • Train staff on first day back – on all new policies and procedures and for dealing with the public • Set up regular refresher training • Training for security staff – check their own training is compatible with company policies • Daily updates/training/group consultations – this will be key to keep staff confident and their own suggestions should be encouraged

It’s encouraging to know that help is available from a range of sources in these uncertain times.

Councillor Jonathan Cook, Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for economic development, skills and employment, said: “As a council we are doing our best to help local businesses navigate business support and financial relief options available to them during these turbulent times.

• Issue regular employee updates on government/medical advice • Make sure staff do not work alongside the same colleague for more than 15 minutes • Limit numbers in rest/kitchen/toilet areas H&S issues after employees return and store opens: • Monthly individual personnel risk assessments • Regular cleaning of surfaces and touch points – training needed • Extra deep cleaning if symptomatic person identified on premises • System for cleaning tried items or labelling/quarantining items for 48 hours • Prevent payment by cash • Leave doors used by staff half-open to minimise touching and provide sight lines (excluding fire doors) • Provide staff with their own equipment/space not to be shared (e.g. pens/paper/IT equipment/ steamers/PDQ terminal/etc)

“The council itself has had to significantly adapt its working practices and delivery during the crisis and we will use our position as a local leader in resilience planning to help local enterprises as they seek to modify their business processes in a vastly changed landscape.

“Grants and funding must go hand in hand with transformation and improved resilience to survive a crisis and bounce back, so I urge our business community to engage with the online training and advice opportunities on offer through the Wandsworth Enterprise Hub and networks such as the Wandsworth Chamber.”

“As a council we are doing our best to help local businesses navigate business support and financial relief options available to them during these turbulent times.”

LEGAL

A safe return to work post-lockdown?

It’s a two-way process

Kizzy Augustin, partner, Russell-Cooke

Some businesses have now started re-opening and easing employees back into work. But can it be done safely at this stage?

Health and safety at work what’s changed?

The obligations owed by employers to employees following the Covid-19 outbreak are not new.

Both employers and employees owe key health and safety legal duties. What is important is the assessment of relevant risks. As an employer, have you done everything reasonably practicable to ensure the risks posed by the virus are minimised?

It’s a two-way duty. Your employees must co-operate with you so far as is necessary to enable you to comply with your health and safety duties.

This may include: • taking reasonable precautions to maintain good hygiene standards • maintaining social distancing • complying with company policies and practices Employees and visitors should declare if they have come into contact or live with any affected persons. The ‘track and trace’ system should help to further limit the transmission of risk.

Employees should inform you of any pre-existing conditions or any issue that could affect the reviewed risk assessment.

Be aware that senior managers and directors could face personal criminal liability if the business commits an offence because of their act/omission. This could mean significant fines for companies and possible imprisonment for individuals.

Businesses should now consider updating risk assessments and company policies to reflect current Government guidance.

Showing that guidance has been followed will usually provide evidence that you have complied with your health and safety duties.

Government guidelines expect businesses with more than 50 workers to publish risk assessments online.

Reporting Covid-19 related incidents The HSE specifies that you should report the following incidents: • an unintended incident at work which has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to coronavirus • a worker has been diagnosed as having Covid-19 and there is reasonable evidence that it was caused by exposure at work • a worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus An employee with apparent symptoms of Covid-19 does not require reporting. There needs to be a medical diagnosis of Covid-19 for the incident to be reportable.

Should employees still work from home if they can?

At the time of writing, the Prime Minister’s advice is to work from home unless it is impossible to do so. As the lockdown continues to ease, you will be taking steps to get your employees back to work.

The HSE initially said there are no increased risks when using display screen equipment (DSE) for those working at home temporarily so there is no need for an additional assessment – but what does temporary mean? The need for a home working risk assessment may change if your employees will be working from home on a long-term basis, a term which is open to interpretation.

As an employer, you should review compliance with existing DSE rules, given the shift to remote working, which may include a new home work station assessment, appropriate equipment or tools to carry out work at home.

The health and safety responsibilities you owe to employees working from home are the same as for any other worker. Those overarching responsibilities under HSWA still apply. There may be additional risks arising from employees working alone without any direct supervision and what impact reduced or no contact with managers could have on their overall wellbeing.

What should employers do now?

1 Follow sector-specific Government guidance including the “5 step approach”: - Carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment and review existing policies in line with HSE guidance and share its results with your workforce.

- Develop strict hygiene procedures.

- Help people to work from home.

- Maintain 2m social distancing where possible.

Where impossible, use screens and barriers and keep contact as short as possible.

2 Be accountable for risk management at all levels – senior management and employees.

3 Review your risk assessments and your health and safety policy. Refresh your understanding of your H&S obligations. Remind employees of their obligations to keep themselves and others safe whilst at work.

4 Consult with workers (and trade unions if necessary) and consider those more vulnerable like BAME groups and older employees.

Reassure workers that they will be safe when they emerge from lockdown and keep communication channels open, which may include providing employees with information on what to do if they develop symptoms of the virus.

5 Implement a robust Incident Response Protocol.

This should outline how the business will respond in the first few days after an incident and how best to protect the business.

Many businesses say they won’t be going back to work in the way that they did before Covid-19. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Meanwhile UK businesses need to communicate with each other, prepare for a full return to work and monitor the relevant risks. We do need to get the economy moving, but this must not be done at the expense of safety.

russell-cooke.co.uk +44 (0)20 8789 9111 kizzy.augustin@russell-cooke.co.uk Business Connexions | 7

How to successfully transition your team back into full productivity – starting now!

In the current climate employers and employees are experiencing feelings ranging from eager anticipation to anxiety about returning to an office space.

• How can she retain good people?

• He needs the commission he earns on sales to make ends meet and no sales are being made.

• When and if people should return from furlough?

• He cycles everywhere and getting to work is easy for him.

• How can the business exceed customer expectations and ensure brand loyalty and upselling of services?

• He really misses the social side of work.

• What should the size and shape of the team be now?

• How long will the cash last as she is waiting on the outcome of a bounce back loan application?

Many professional advisers have written about the legal obligations around social distancing or of the furlough scheme, so instead I want to share my thoughts about what employers and employees may have on their minds at this time using an illustrative case based on our experience of supporting different clients. You may be contending with some of the concerns identified.

Chloe is MD of ‘Stay on Site’ a website development business in Battersea, she has twenty employees including Paula and Josh who are referred to below. There has been a 40% reduction in orders over the last two months, impacting revenue, this is likely to affect the company for at least the next twelve months. Five staff have been furloughed, everyone else has been working from home.

Senior colleagues are keen to get everyone back to the office, they feel that although work has continued, productivity and cohesion has suffered during the lockdown. Chloe is not certain and has the following concerns: • What do the team think about returning to work?

• Can the workspace be set up to comply with social distancing rules?

Paula is the Finance Manager and has been working from home in Surbiton where she lives with her two teenagers.

Paula has the following concerns about returning to the office: • She has been supervising school on line, there is no date fixed for a return to School.

• She cares for her elderly parents who live locally.

• She doesn’t want to get back on the train at present, certainly at rush hour, although the journey to Clapham Junction is relatively easy.

• Paula does her job well from home and doesn’t feel the need to be in the office.

• After lockdown is lifted Paula wants to come into the office one day a week.

Josh is a client development manager and shares a flat in Clapham with two others. Sharing broadband and physical space is a challenge. Josh has been thinking about his job security and misses the office energy and has the following concerns: • He has been working while flatmates are furloughed and act like every day is the weekend.

If you would like a complimentary copy of our ‘5 tips to successfully transition your team in the next 12 months’ or to arrange a no obligation 30 minute conversation about your challenges and options please contact david@bedrockhr.co.uk 8 | Business Connexions

• He feels that the virus threat has largely passed and is angry at restrictions.

What did Bedrock do to help Chloe?

1) We conducted a zoom based survey to find out the feelings of the team about returning to the office, travel to work and social distancing as well as how they were coping with working remotely.

2) We qualified Chloe’s options for reducing headcount cost including redundancy, continued use of furlough and reducing hours for some staff.

3) We created a plan with Chloe, determining who should return to the office including assessment of the effectiveness and risks.

4) Planned an activity that was fun and motivational.

What was the result?

There is now a fully scaled plan that Chloe believes will work. Chloe is clear on how the team feels and is going through a comprehensive staff review and a strategic review of how the team will build even better relationships with customers.

NEWS

JOIN US TOD AY

The Wandsworth Common Beer Festival The 12th annual Wandworth Common Beer Festival was due to take place on March 28th-30th.

Sadly, with literally hours to go before 10,000 pints were about to be delivered on site to Le Gothique, in the iconic Royal Victoria Patriotic Building the plug was pulled on this sell out event.

2,500 attendees some paying £30 for a coveted ‘Preview Night” ticket were informed by organiser “Lord” Battersea that the event was cancelled due to the lockdown.

“It really was touch and go.

Having 10,000 pints delivered would have been a financial disaster.” said Mark Justin 35 years the landlord of Le Gothique speaking as his alter ego and beer supremo, “Lord” Battersea. “Some pretty hefty set up costs were still incurred with 2,500 branded and dated festival tankards, 24-page colour programmes, banners, badges, flyers and sunk advertising all delivered at the time of cancellation So, what is the plan? Well, Mark has decided that as soon as is possible the event will be rescheduled into a late summer event showcasing the best in

Craft Beer from the London area.

Local brewer Duncan Sambrook will sponsor the new event hopefully with beer produced from his new brewery situated within the grade 1 listed heritage site that was formerly the home Youngs & Co in the heart of Wandsworth.

This will be a summer festival with 100 beers, live music and street food. But the show must go on. And I need to use up the 2,500 glasses that got delivered!

In order to contact Lord Battersea to supply beer to the new event or to be the first to know the new date you can contact him at marklegothique@aol.com

The New “Normal”

If I’d been told we would experience a worldwide pandemic, I would have thought it another conspiracy theory. Yet we now face a crisis of Covid-19! Our current life has become the new normal, and things won’t be the same again.

It’s challenging for people with mental health issues to deal with daily life, so how must they feel in the current climate, therefore, I want to help. For weeks, I’ve advertised my coaching skills to anybody who feels anxious, vulnerable and struggling to cope with life by using social media platforms but received little response.

Upon reflection, I put into perspective this lack of response.

A large proportion of vulnerable people are isolating in abusive mental and physical relationships.

They want to reach out but can’t because of the lockdown.

Even close-knit families face testing times, therefore imagine being in an abusive environment constantly.

I plead with those suffering to remain strong and believe in hope. You are a survivor, and your strength and courage will help find the life path you want and deserve.

I, myself a victim of bullying, suffered mentally at the hands of my tormentors throughout secondary school and with being Asian, I so desperately wanted to be white, so that I would fit in with those who caused me so much pain mentally. I left school

with minimal qualifications and a mindset of failure because of being in such unhappy surroundings. However, there was hope and I turned my life around.

Aged 44, I achieved my BA Hons I desperately want to help others and continue offering my services to those in need because I don’t have physical scars, but the emotional scars ran very deep.

My NLP coaching journey has found me inner peace and I want to share this knowledge.

Reeta Minhas-Judd NLP Life Coach & Company Director www.rmjtrainingservices.com

Whether you are part of a large organisation or work from an office at home, there are many good reasons for joining the Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce.

As the business hub of Wandsworth, your Chamber is influential in helping to create the right business environment for local companies to flourish.

Through membership you have the ability to use our “business voice”, the opportunity to meet key stakeholders, network and do business with many other local businesses that you won’t find anywhere else.

So, do it now, online, and start enjoying the many benefits on offer. www.wandsworthchamber.org

For more information or to discuss how we can help you, please contact us at: Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

020 363 36575 enquiries@wandsworthchamber.org

Business Connexions | 9 Business Connexions | 9

PATRON FOCUS

“Our partnership with Wandsworth Chamber has been a long and enduring one.

During this crisis it has come into its own by helping to provide advice and networking for businesses of all sizes through regular open online meetings, drawing together our local businesspeople and expert advisers to provide a respected and trusted voice.�

Council supports local recovery and growth

By Councillor Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council 10 | Business Connexions

PATRON FOCUS This has been the most challenging episode of my career. The public health emergency is unmatched by anything we have seen before and its impact on our economy is deep and remains difficult to quantify.

You will all have had your lives turned upside down by the coronavirus and the same goes for the council and our wider community. This crisis has changed the way of life for all of us as we have all had to adjust to limiting our contacts, working from home, examining our finances and helping our neighbours.

The council has had to quickly change the way it delivers public services whilst stepping in to help our residents and businesses. We had to quickly adapt our customer-facing capacity, including establishing a dedicated community hub for the most vulnerable affected by COVID-19. In the first five weeks the hub handled over 3,100 calls from Wandsworth homes and almost 2,000 emails requesting help or advice.

Wandsworth’s vibrant business sector is at the heart of our community and we value the broader economic linkages and relationships that it sustains.

Our partnership with Wandsworth Chamber has been a long and enduring one. During this crisis it has come into its own by helping to provide advice and networking for businesses of all sizes through regular open online meetings, drawing together our local businesspeople and expert advisers to provide a respected and trusted voice.

Through these meetings and our engagement with business we are able to understand specific business challenges, including gaps in the government’s otherwise generous support measures. These measures have proved crucial for many local businesses and we have communicated to ministers how they can be improved to provide more broad-based support.

Such support is crucial because lost business capacity and supply chain linkages will take time to recreate and will slow down recovery. We want to be in the best position to re-mobilise our economy when the restrictions are lifted, creating wealth, jobs and livelihoods.

A key way in which we can all support our local businesses is by buying local!

We are actively encouraging our 320,000 residents to better support the local economy and working in close partnership with business networks to do this.

I want to reiterate my appreciation of the work of the Chamber and each of its members in striving to keep the borough’s economy going. I know this crisis will be over and I know the world will have changed. The challenge for us now is to envisage how the new world could be built on our strengths and aspire to create a better one. In coming days we will develop a strategy for the future and I welcome the Chamber’s ideas to help shape that better world.

Councillor Jonathan Cook

Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for economic development, skills and employment The effects of the pandemic on our local economy were swift and sudden. As the days unfolded, we realised how much help was going to be needed by our local businesses and self-employed people to help them survive.

As soon as government support packages were announced for businesses, we moved quickly to set up mechanisms for delivering our part of the financial package effectively and get money out to where it was urgently needed. We wrote to eligible businesses straight away so that by the start of June we had distributed over £50m of the government’s funding for Wandsworth, helping over 3,200 businesses. As a priority we’re continuing to work hard to distribute funds to the remaining businesses who we haven’t yet been able to make contact with but who are eligible for financial support.

The substantial hospitality industry in Wandsworth and London was impacted immediately by loss of custom which then had a knock-on effect for a huge range of other businesses and traders such as those in New Covent Garden Market and the Flower Market. We acted as quickly as we could to get reliable information out about sources of support available for different sectors, and listened to requests for additional support.

We’re proud to be an entrepreneurial borough with over 15% of Wandsworth residents being self-employed.

To help get people into the best possible position to be eligible for the government’s income support scheme, we quickly got together with local accountants to provide trusted advice through a tax return support scheme.

The Wandsworth Chamber, local business networks, associations and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have all been crucial to reaching out to as many businesses and entrepreneurs as possible and helping communicate to us what they need.

We value working closely with the Chamber, listening to its respected opinion and insight and helping us understand the specific impacts on individual businesses and sectors.

This partnership helps us to navigate a path through this crisis, building and nurturing relationships while championing local enterprise across our borough.

We’ve used this knowledge to write to both the chancellor and subsequently the secretary of state for business, urging additional support for specific sectors where we believe there are gaps, while of course acknowledging the extraordinary scale of government support for business already announced.

These relationships have always been important to the council but will be more valuable than ever as our thoughts turn to the future and how best to collectively support local businesses in their roadmap to recovery.

“The Wandsworth Chamber, local business networks, associations and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) have all been crucial to reaching out to as many businesses and entrepreneurs as possible and helping communicate to us what they need.”

Business Connexions | 11

NEWS - YOUNG CHAMBER

Getting things done...

The global Coronavirus pandemic has had an enormous impact on our day-to-day lives, significantly increasing the time spent in our own homes. This shift in working environment brings with it a host of challenges, impacting our ability to “get things done”.

For many, myself included, working from home will be a set-up requiring some adjustment. However, this change in routine provides a great opportunity to be productive, make connections and take action.

As a student in Year 12, my schoolwork comes first. I schedule my day around staying on top of classwork, revising key concepts and making time to practise for my SATs with the hope of applying to US colleges.

Similarly, most of us have a primary objective – be it our job, business or studies – that will occupy the majority of our working hours.

However, it is crucially important to find the time for personal development in both a professional and non-professional sense.

The importance of scheduling Without a rigid structure to our day – as offered by school, university or work – it becomes easy to fall into a cycle of inaction.

At the beginning of lockdown, I struggled with completing simple tasks, feeling overwhelmed by the empty day that lay ahead.

However, detailed scheduling in the form of a chronological to-do list has helped alleviate much of this stress.

Putting tasks directly into writing immediately dissipates any of the anxiety associated with remembering to do them - as a result, significantly increasing the likelihood that you’ll get them done.

As endorsed by the late Mark McCormack, founder of the IMG group, I suggest that you put any commitments into writing straight away, freeing your mind for other things.

“I write down everything I intend to do and once I have written it down I forget about it” Mark McCormack

Staying connected Social distancing makes it incredibly easy to feel both claustrophobic and isolated at the same time. We’re advised to keep in close contact with our friends and family to avoid this feeling of detachment. We can take this one step further, not only by maintaining our existing relationships but scheduling in time to reach out and make new connections.

Victor Sosanya has successfully facilitated this, organising 7am “Vision Calls” to keep young people motivated and on track. Including, in my to-do list, reminders to make catch-up phone calls with friends and contacts has helped me keep connected despite staying at home.

Is it time to pivot your business?

However, according to Enterprise Nation 83% of businesses are still working on a covid-19 support financial package. Therefore, what can businesses do in the meantime to adjust to the ‘new normal’ and bring money in fast?

As necessity is the mother of invention businesses may have to pivot if and where possible.

A ‘pivot’ involves a business changing its product, service and/ or business model from its current offering. We are already seeing businesses who supply food to the restaurant industry sell directly to the public; tuition services moving their services online; and in person coaches take to zoom or skype to deliver their sessions.

If you are a small business that has been affected by the social distancing ‘order’ what 5 things could you do right now to pivot your business?

12 | Business Connexions

Many find it difficult to create an adequate working environment from home, with less personal space and more distractions to contend with. My one piece of advice is to embrace continuity where possible - everybody’s homes differ but the best thing we can all do is to adopt a working routine as constant as possible.

Finally, a key feature of an effective working environment is the ability to “check out” and leave work behind. When working from home, it becomes difficult to call it a day.

Each evening, I take a minute to put into writing my goals for tomorrow. This gives a sense of finality to the day, allowing me to then focus on relaxing, talking with friends and spending time with family.

Jesse Boulting 2020

Providing State of the Art Software to help your true DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

By Linda Appiah-Spick, Founder and Creative Director of 3Cs Digital With non-essential businesses being ordered to close to observe social distancing, many are seeking government funding to stay afloat.

Creating a working environment

1. Is there a product or service that you could offer online?

2. Could you anticipate what people may need and add new products and services to your portfolio?

3. Can you widen your customer base so that people you normally do not sell to benefit from your offering?

4. Could you partner with another business and form a strategic alliance to optimise your resources and customer base?

5. Could your business implement an outreach programme in line with government guidance to support the local community?

A good place to start a pivot is to go back to the drawing board and complete Osterwalder’s ‘Business Model Canvas’. With tough financial times ahead, small business owners that can hold their nerve, accept the ‘new normal’; embrace a new business identity; and be willing to innovate will be in a better place to weather the storm and steady the ship during these unprecedented times.

Looking to build new relationships with Wandsworth businesses OUR CUSTOMERS • Aerospace & Defence • Medical Engineering • Electronic Engineering • Construction • Product Design • Manufacturing

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS • We are established resellers of Computer Aided Design (CAD), Product Lifecycyle Management (PLM), Internet of Things (IoT) & Augmented Reality (AR) dedicated software.

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103-105 High Street, Watford, WD17 2DQ Tel 01923 586270 email: info@plmcentral.co.uk www.plmcentral.co.uk

BATTERSEA

Battersea Power Station

Power to Connect

Battersea Power Station and Wandsworth Council have launched the ‘Power to Connect’ campaign to raise awareness of the issues faced around digital poverty and to support local families, as well as patients at St George’s NHS Hospital in Tooting, who are struggling to stay connected during the COVID-19 outbreak.

As part of the campaign, Wandsworth Council will be issuing emergency phone data top-up vouchers to local schools, thanks to a £10,000 fund from the Battersea Power Station Foundation.

The schools will distribute these vouchers to families in the borough who don’t have access to a computer or broadband at home, and are relying on a Pay As You Go phone to download school work and to stay connected with the outside world during this challenging time.

The ‘Power to Connect’ campaign also works with local community partners to improve access to computers or tablets.

As part of the initiative, a new laptop and tablet collection scheme is helping both local families without a computer at home, and patients at St George’s NHS Hospital in Tooting, who may be struggling to stay in touch with loved ones during this difficult time.

Local residents and businesses across Wandsworth are asked to donate old laptops and tablets that are in full

Battersea Power Station

Community Choir

Battersea Power Station Community Choir usually meet every Thursday at the Rose Community Theatre in Battersea.

Sadly this isn’t possible at the moment due to the COVID-19 outbreak but to help members who might be worried about mental health due to self-isolation and social distancing, the choir has gone digital with members logging in every week to stretch their vocal chords and to talk about how they are coping with the current challenging situation.

Alex Baker, Director of Communities and Sustainability at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) and founder of the Battersea Power Station Community Choir said: “The choir usually come together to practice at the Rose Community Centre in Battersea every Thursday evening. Sadly this isn’t possible at the moment due to the COVID-19 outbreak so we had to get creative and came up with the idea of a digital choir

working order to be re-purposed by volunteers with IT experience who are giving some of their time and expertise to help.

To support the ‘Power to Connect’ campaign through computer donations, by volunteering IT expertise or your time to collect and drop off the refurbished Chromebooks, or by making a donation to the data top-up voucher fund, further information on how to get involved can be found at https://www.powertoconnect.co.uk/

Battersea Power Station Community Choir Comes Together Digitally

practice. The first online gathering took place and was a great success with 55 members all singing together online.

It was lovely to see how much joy it brought to everyone. Staying at home in isolation can be daunting so continuing to meet weekly online is important to help maintain a sense of community, battle loneliness and keep moral high.”

Every one of our members have embraced the challenge of recording themselves singing at home as part of their tribute to everyone looking after us at the moment.

We are a proper community choir and not everyone is a confident singer so our members were really brave when it came to effectively recording themselves singing a solo. I’m massively proud of them.”

Battersea Power Station Community Choir has also recorded a virtual rendition of Labi Siffre’s, ‘Something Inside So Strong’ in tribute to all the hard work and sacrifices being made by NHS staff and carers fighting COVID-19 on the frontline. For many members, recording themselves singing alone was a nerve-racking experience but they were determined to take part to show their appreciation and support.

Sam Evans, Choir Director of the Battersea Power Station Community Choir said: “This has been Battersea Power Station Community Choir’s biggest challenge yet.

Business Connexions | 13

BIG INTERVIEW

Lanop: your best friend in business As an experienced accountant and business advisor, Aurangzaib Chawla has been extremely busy in the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

Zaib has been working with Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce to provide support to hundreds of local firms, helping them to find ways of keeping afloat in these unprecedented times.

Zaib, who is a tax specialist and managing partner at Lanop Chartered Certified Accountants, says: “Businesses want to know what their peers are doing, to share ideas on how to get through this period of uncertainty. That’s why we’ve hosted webinars on a range of topics, from looking after cashflow and social media marketing to liaising with landlords. We’ve also been recognised in the media, discussing the issue of fraud in relation to the government’s job retention scheme in the Financial Times, Computer Weekly and on the website of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.”

“If you’re in financial trouble, it’s vital to keep your creditors and receivers informed, especially if you think you’re in danger of going out of business.”

It’s not difficult to see why Zaib promotes Lanop as “your best friend in business”.

His philosophy is to be there for clients at all times and tailor his services to meet their needs. It’s an approach that seems to be working. Lanop has more than 1,000 loyal clients, although fewer than 100 are currently operational due to the coronavirus, and in recent weeks the company has secured around 20 new clients on the back of its strong reputation in the marketplace.

“Many of these new clients were dissatisfied with the service they were getting from their previous advisor,” says Zaib. “They had heard of us and were willing to try something new.”

Born and raised in Pakistan, Zaib has had a keen interest in business from a young age. He picked up tips from his father, who had a background in the textiles industry, and soon developed an inquisitive streak that sometimes landed him in trouble.

Zaib recalls: “I was an only son so I usually got what I wanted! Dad knew that the only way to develop me was to send me abroad to get some experience.”

He arrived in England at the age of 19 after gaining an accounting qualification in Pakistan, and joined Kaplan, a company that offers accountancy, bookkeeping, tax and finance training. However, after building up his knowledge of these subjects, the entrepreneur in him grew restless and he decided to go solo and launch Lanop.

With a master’s degree in corporate governance, IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and investment decision-making behind him, he set about growing Lanop’s client base by networking extensively with the business community.

“I was still young so I had to work hard to gain the confidence of clients,” Zaib says. “I didn’t shave for a while to make me look older!”

His diligence and tenacity paid handsome dividends. Lanop quickly won new business through referrals, became the highest five-star ranked accountancy company in London and now has an international presence with offices in Pakistan and Qatar.

The company has also hired three staff members during lockdown to deal with the busy workload: a marketing manager, graphic designer and an accountant.

“We invested in cloud-based digital platforms and that has given us more visibility and flexibility,” he says. “Other accountancy firms didn’t act and are now playing catch-up.”

14 | Business Connexions

Zaib attributes this success to the company’s ability to adapt and move with the times.

“We invested in cloud-based digital platforms and that has given us more visibility and flexibility,” he says.

“Other accountancy firms didn’t act and are now playing catch-up.”

Lanop has become a one-stop-shop for clients, offering a wide range of services including help for company start-ups, payroll system review and implementation, VAT and tax compliance, cloud accounting, management and financial reporting, forecasting and management of clients’ financial backoffice functions.The company also advises clients on inheritance and capital gains tax planning.

Now Zaib has exciting plans for developing new services that can keep Lanop ahead of the competition.

“Automation and other technology innovations will influence the way we do business in the next few years,” he says. “I want to start offering IT services to help more companies set up a remote working environment, and cyber security services so they can protect their business.

“Accountants will need to be more like business advisors in future. This will not be a problem for us as that’s the way we’ve been operating for a long time.”

If you or your company needs any business advice or has any accountancy related queries feel free to contact Aurangzaib Chawla at 0208 392 9375 or e-mail info@lanop.co.uk

www.lanop.co.uk

BIG INTERVIEW

The inside story Zaib Chawla

Favourite food? I like BBQ and Thai food and, of course, nothing beats a good chicken and lamb biryani.

Favourite tipple: I prefer fresh juices such as carrot & ginger or fresh Watermelon juice.

Favourite holiday? Generally, fivestar holidays are my favourite. Also, for some reason I’m quite drawn to the Ottoman Empire and wish to explore local culture in Turkey. With the children, it has to be Disneyland.

Describe your family life? I’m very close to my family members and am inspired by several individuals who have helped to shape my personality.

I admire my father’s honesty, my lategrandmother’s simplicity and enjoy the company of friends including Steve Pinto at the Chamber.

How do you spend your downtime?

Playing with my two-year-old son and watching cartoons with him.

What are your key strengths as a manager? My passion for business and great customer service, and my ability to trust in and delegate to my team. However, I always ensure they are held accountable for results.

And your limitations? I like to keep myself involved in all matters, which sometimes takes a toll on my schedule. Secondly, family time is something that becomes challenging while running your own accountancy practice and business consultancy.

Best thing about doing business in the borough? I love how everyone is together on a platform in this borough and has access to different supply chains. We’re just like one big family.

“I want to start offering IT services to help more companies set up a remote working environment, and cyber security services so they can protect their business.”

Famous person you’d most like to spend dinner with? I am a huge fan of Sir David Attenborough, Princess Diana, Mother Teresa and Abdul Sattar Edhi for the huge impact they had on society.

Most interesting fact about yourself? While I was at university, I worked on the Conservative Party’s 2005 general election campaign for Michael Howard .

Business Connexions | 15

‘We send out regular communications and updates to our BID members and I personally visited local businesses on foot to offer help and support from the beginning of the outbreak.’

SPOTLIGHT ON CLAPHAM JUNCTION

Our amazing Clapham Junction

Breadstall in Northcote Road

Roz Lloyd-Williams outlines the creativity of local shops, businesses and the work of The Junction BID throughout the COVID-19 pandemic...

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 is clearly unlike anything we have ever experienced and, as The Junction businesses have adapted and evolved, I am continually amazed by the innovation, resilience, generosity and fortitude they have shown in these unprecedented times. As businesses begin to open in greater numbers, the coming weeks and months will continue to be unbelievably challenging, particularly for the hospitality sector: the cafés, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues, which await official confirmation from the government on their reopening.

The not-for-profit Clapham Junction Business Improvement District (BID) Ltd was formed in late spring last year and is run by a voluntary board of directors who are responsible for supporting more than 420 businesses across Clapham Junction.

It delivers strategies and innovative projects

to improve the trading environment for businesses, the shopping experience for residents and visitors, and to drive tourism in the Clapham Junction area. The BID also works with the Council’s Economic Development Office.

As the pandemic unfolded, we quickly refocused our core strategies to ensure we were doing everything in our power to support these fantastic businesses, the owners, managers and staff – reassuring them that we were by their side. During this unparalleled period, we have continued to champion as many businesses as possible (which remain open or are trading online), reminding all of those in our community and beyond why Clapham Junction is so special. We have promoted their new takeaway and delivery services, the diversification of many restaurants into mini supermarkets, and other marketing and sales initiatives such as online classes and the sale of redemption vouchers.

‘As the pandemic unfolded, we quickly refocused our core strategies to ensure we were doing everything in our power to support these fantastic businesses, the owners, managers and staff – reassuring them that we were by their side.’

16 | Business Connexions

In addition to providing vital marketing support we have been working hard to share and communicate all relevant critical business support, advice and links, also offering online Q&A seminars to help businesses navigate their way through lockdown. Security advice and regular interactions with our police have also been vital – both the BID and Lavender Hill Police Station have been monitoring and responding to incidents across the BID footprint and we work closely with the Council’s Community Safety Team on advising businesses on how to secure their premises.

In the initial stages, we set up a dedicated COVID-19 business advice page on The Junction website with pertinent links and guidelines, including vital information on relief grant applications; and sent out critical business support, advice and links on breaking governmental news. I personally visited local businesses on foot to offer help and support from the beginning of the outbreak and talked by phone to those who had concerns about grant applications and landlord issues – conveying businesses’ fears to our local MP, Marsha de Cordova, on behalf of businesses, urging her to write to the Treasury.

We have also been working with our HR and legal advisory partners to deliver a series of invaluable online Zoom seminars to businesses, covering a range of topics from HR, finance and technology to insurance, legal and staffing issues.

SPOTLIGHT ON CLAPHAM JUNCTION Quite rapidly we have started to witness the incredible determination and resilience displayed by many of our local businesses as they adapt to a new way of trading, and their amazing generosity during such challenging times – creating a true sense of community. Café Parisienne, Taverna Travestere, Kaosarn, Made in Italy, Buona Sera, Banana Tree, Rosa’s Thai, Indian Moment, Edward James London and The London Cycle Workshop are just some of the companies offering discounts to NHS staff – offering a simple ‘thank you’ to our key workers which, undoubtedly, will be most appreciated.

Our fantastic supermarkets are also stepping up to support the NHS with priority access in-store, keeping daily essentials aside and giving NHS staff priority at checkout, distributing care packages for frontline workers and giving generous donations to food banks during lockdown, as well as support for the elderly. Meanwhile our banks and chemists continue to provide outstanding service and help to customers during the pandemic alongside their local and national charitable initiatives.

In turn, we have heard of remarkable stories from businesses on how residents have helped them by paying numerous trips to their shops, buying restaurant tokens and a year’s worth of haircuts in advance!

Others in the community have kindly offered their spare rooms to house business staff so they don’t have to journey to work.

Killik & Co Estate Agents in Northcote Road with a company that creates a nutritious range of frozen, ready meals for children, called Free Range Kids. A great initiative that will certainly help busy parents who are juggling the demands of working from home, along with home schooling! Customers can order through the Clapham Junction page on the website ShopAppy.com – a new initiative launched by The Junction BID in conjunction with ShopAppy – which has created a ‘ local online marketplace’ platform for the area, with door-to-door delivery (within a two-mile radius of Clapham Junction Station), enabling loyal and new customers to show businesses their support during the current climate.

An impressive number of restaurants have adapted to bring their delicious offerings to local doorsteps through new takeaway and delivery services – from Italian, Greek, Spanish, Thai and Indian cuisine to traditional fish & chips and hearty pies.

Residents are also spoilt for choice with drink delivery services from shops and bars such as Humble Grape, Philglas & Swiggot, Vagabond Wines, BrewDog and Four Thieves. However, currently unable to trade to full capacity, the hospitality industry needs our vital support for it to survive. We urge everyone to sign the national ‘Raise the Bar’ petition to help those businesses in our community that are currently unable to access government grants, putting hundreds of jobs at risk – please visit www.raisethebarcampaign.com

We have also seen local independent food and grocery stores – such as Macellaio, The Source Bulk Foods, Hamish Johnston, Bayley & Sage, Hetu and Windfall Natural – adapting to offer click and collect. With the wonders of social media, many are now promoting heart-warming lockdown recipes to create at home.

Our local day care nursery, Abacus Ark, opened its doors to care for children of key workers and owner Anthony Ioannou and his team have also turned their hand to working

For those businesses that don’t offer physical products – such as local gyms and fitness studios – focusing on their online presence to promote health and wellbeing

Clapham Junction Station, Network Rail - on St John’s Hill

has been key during the pandemic.

Examples include DW Fitness First, Psycle London, Milo and the Bull, Sadhana Yoga & Wellbeing and Northcote Chiropractic Clinic – all of which have created resourceful and inspiring online fitness and health programmes for members of the local community and further afield.

Our beloved institution, the Battersea Arts Centre (BAC), is cleverly utilising the surge in demand for online content to showcase its wonderful and historical entertainment venue on BBC iPlayer. For example, the brilliant BBC documentary The Way Out – featuring the BAC – narrates a journey through the labyrinthine corridors of Battersea Arts Centre, which for the programme has become a rabbit hole of live acts in this bewitching single-take film – a 40-minute drama shot in one continuous sequence.

The Grand has supported the NHS with a beautiful display of rainbow paintings in its windows, created by pupils from The Sacred Heart, Heathbrook, Ark John Archer and John Burns primary schools.

Northcote Road’s Breadstall has also demonstrated its support with a beautifully painted rainbow on the side of its stall.

Business Connexions | 17

SPOTLIGHT ON CLAPHAM JUNCTION

The BID recently produced a COVID-19 risk assessment report for the council detailing an array of issues (regarding social distancing) for consideration – i.e. road widening, suspension of parking bays, pinch points, cycle storage, signage and the introduction of a 20mph speed limit across the BID footprint (as this article goes to press we hear that this new speed limit will soon be introduced). We have also highlighted initiatives to businesses such as the introduction of queue marshalls, appointment schemes and PPE advice, and have produced BID-customised social distancing pavement stickers.

‘We’re already working on several new initiatives to help our business community throughout and post lockdown, including a B2B app... in addition, a new B2C mobile app.’

Alessandro Ambrosi Grappelli – Taverna Travestere on St John’s Hill (Photograph: Rick Truscott)

Of course, it’s not possible to mention every business in this article, so you might like to visit our blog page, Open Businesses in Clapham Junction at www.visitclaphamjunction.com. It contains a comprehensive, live list of open businesses, detailing their services and a range of entertaining blogs such as: A World of Flavours at The Junction, Sizzling BBQ Recipes, Essential Services During Lockdown, Keep Your Kids Busy, A Guide to Wellbeing and Working from Home, Home Cooking Recipes, Movie Night and Delivering to Your Doorstep.

We’re already working on several new initiatives to help our business community throughout and post lockdown, including a B2B app that will facilitate the development of loyalty schemes and exclusive details at local shops, restaurants and services (when operating or online) for The Junction employees. In addition, a new B2C mobile app will feature geo-push notifications that will enable residents and visitors to discover our BID businesses, their promotions, events and competitions. We’re working closely with NappyValley.com and have signed up to myvirtualneighbourhood.com

and nextdoor.com to provide additional platforms on which to highlight our incredible businesses. The local press – including Riverside Radio, Hot Dinners, London News Online, Battersea Matters, Yahoo, Families SW Magazine and SW Londoner – has also kindly reported on our businesses. Social media across our platforms has also been key to showcase businesses’ news and events.

In addition, we’ve created a short film ‘Local, The New Normal?’ and eight ‘shorts’, highlighting the themes of community, shopping local and supporting our small independents, featuring our local independents.

Produced by residents – among them British Academy Award-winning cinematographers, producers, photographers and a director of photography – they generously offered their services, free of charge, to help the BID and the businesses community.

These films will be used across our marketing and social media channels to showcase our wonderful BID businesses and Clapham Junction.

We decided soon after the announcement of the pandemic that BID events – the new month-long June ‘Lavender in Bloom’; the bar & restaurant promotion ‘Eat & Drink The Junction’ (June 15-30) and The Junction Festival on Northcote Road (renamed) (July 12th) would be cancelled.

However, in these challenging times, I was heartened to hear that the renowned author, JK Rowling, revealed that our national hero Harry Potter was indeed ‘born’ in a flat above a business in Clapham Junction (all those years ago). This is tremendous news and, going forward, will be a fantastic promotional vehicle to highlight The Junction. I’m already thinking Harry Potter trails; where would Harry, Hermione and Ron eat, drink, see, buy and experience at The Junction? The marketing and PR opportunities are limitless. Every cloud has a silver lining and we can turn this into gold.

The next few months will be critical for our businesses. Now, more than ever, we need to pull together. The BID will continue to work hard to promote them, and we have asked our Battersea residents, wherever possible, to show their solidarity to the business community. The local economy and small independents underpin the infrastructure of our area – they give The Junction its distinct identity and rich character. They support our local employment, community, and our charitable institutions. We would sorely miss them if they were to disappear.

For further information, please visit www.visitclaphamjunction.com Roz Lloyd-Williams is the Executive BID Director of The Junction BID.

‘Now, more than ever, we need to pull together. The BID will continue to work hard to promote them, and we have asked our Battersea residents, wherever possible, to show their solidarity to the business community.’

18 | Business Connexions

Kazim Doleker – Café Parisienne on Lavender Hill

(Photograph: Rick Truscott)

Businesses pivoting to survive Covid-19

In 2020, the new ‘business as usual’ is adaptability’. Covid-19 has disrupted the retail world as we know it, with businesses pivoting their model in order to continue to serve their customers.

Across the borough innovative business owners are adapting… Restaurants have become wine shops and takeaways whilst pubs are offering a click and collect service and trading as delis.

Jenni Asiama and Anna Humpleby look at a few inspirational businesses in Wandsworth that have pivoted during Covid-19.

What kind of response have you had from local residents?

One that cannot be put into words. We were so grateful to see such an overwhelming response and rallying of support towards us from when we first re-opened and it continues to this day. We asked the kids of Tooting to help decorate our windows with rainbows and to have families come in to drop them off. We’re also getting to know the locals more because we have more time to chat to them.

Is this something you plan to continue postlockdown?

The Wheatsheaf

2 Upper Tooting Rd, Tooting Bec, London SW17 7PG

There are definitely things we’ll plan to continue with – click & collect, perhaps some form of a deli and most likely the sustainable growler system for beers, which has proved to be very popular!

What were you trading before lockdown?

As a pub – food and drink

What safety measures have you put in place for your customers?

What are you offering now?

We still offer food and drink, just in a different manner.

We have a deli, provide food and roasts as a click & collect service, alongside beers, cocktails and wine to takeaway.

How can people place orders?

Either by popping into the pub or visiting our website where they can find out Click & Collect store What inspired you to extend the business model in this way?

We didn’t want to just remain closed – we love the Tooting community and wanted to be able to survive so we can continue to serve it once all this has settled down, so we made the decision to pivot our business to ensure this.

We have plenty of hand sanitiser located around the pub, a one-way system in place and limits on how many shoppers are allowed in at once. All staff are in PPE and we have a regular daily cleaning of the floor.

The Dessert Deli What were you trading before lockdown?

Bespoke cakes, celebration cakes and desserts What does the business offer now?

When the lockdown started and people were struggling to purchase food from supermarkets, I started offering freshly cooked meals such as beef lasagne, chilli con carne, soups etc. When the supermarkets began restocking their shelves, demand was less so I reduced this offering. However, with lots of people baking at home and ingredients such as flour & yeast being in short supply, I’ve started to supply various types of flour to my customers. I also offer a range of Sunday roasts.

What inspired you to extend your business in this way?

To be honest, if I hadn’t changed my offering to what customers needed during lockdown, I probably wouldn’t still be in business, because all my cake orders for birthday parties and weddings were cancelled. Fortunately, I’m a trained kitchen and pastry chef, so I can also make savoury food.

Photos credit: Robert Piwko

How can residents in the borough support you?

Just continue to support your local!

What top tip would you give to a business hoping to pivot/extend their business?

At times like this you just have to get on and do something. As entrepreneurs we have to innovate.

You can also ask the community for ideas.

www.thewheatsheafsw17.com @wheatsheaftbec

What kind of response have you had from local residents?

The response and support have been amazing. A few Sundays ago, I made 41 roast dinners and desserts, which is amazing for a business which actually specialises in cakes and desserts!

Is this something you plan to continue post-lockdown?

I may do the Sunday roasts as a monthly special, because from the feedback I’ve received, people really seem to enjoy them.

What safety measures have you put in place for your customers?

I make and deliver all the food myself. My kitchen has a 5-star hygiene rating and I follow all the government health and safety guidelines. If customers want to collect their orders from my kitchen, they are asked to wait in the car park and the food is brought out to them. Payments are made by bank transfer.

How can residents in the borough support you?

By following me @thedessertdeli on social media, ordering a celebration cake or Sunday roast. Also by spreading the word to friends/family and leaving Google reviews when you enjoy my products, as this really helps a small business.

How can people place orders?

By emailing laura@thedessertdeli. co.uk Or via DM on Instagram @ thedessertdeli What top tip would you give to business owners thinking of pivoting their business during Covid-19?

You need to think outside the box and don’t get stuck in your ways.

Be able to adapt if necessary as you’ll only have a business if you have a product that customers want to buy... www.thedessertdeli.co.uk

A few more businesses in the borough that have adapted their model include: Abacus Ark Nursery – This local nursery in Clapham Junction is producing a range of frozen ‘Free Range Kids’ ready meals to help out local families with children at home. www.abacusark.com Buongiorno Ciullosteria – Situated in Balham, this Italian restaurant has opened a shop for customers to do their daily shopping. Whilst people can’t dine in the restaurant anymore, they can still pick up their favourite Italian foods to enjoy at home. Shop in person or order via Deliveroo. buongiornociullosteria.com Food Republic – This Batterseabased food wholesale company has opened its service to the public.

Home deliveries of essential items are now available and NHS staff receive a 20% discount. www.food-republic.com Milk – This popular brunch spot in Balham has set up an online shop delivering essentials from their pantry as well as DIY packs to recreate your favourites from their menu from the comfort of your home. Order online or at the shop window. milklondonshop.uk The Pilates Room – In addition to offering online Pilates classes and Pilates equipment, The Pilates Room in Putney is now also selling groceries to help local residents get their essential items. Groceries available include pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables and eggs, and can be ordered via ShopAppy. thepilatesroom.org.uk Unwined – This business based in Tooting Market is offering wine delivery and bespoke virtual wine tastings and a weekly wine tasting club. www.unwinedbars.co.uk Zebra Property Group – Since this local construction company has put all major projects on hold, they are offering handyman, plumbing, electrics and joinery services.

They offer a phone consultation to diagnose the problem and will then arrange a suitable time to carry out their work. instagram.com/zebra_ property_group

Business Connexions | 19

 Corporate/Commercial   Property  Family   Criminal Law 

 Employment  Litigation   Wills & Probate   Childcare Law 

Serving Wandsworth, Battersea and Southwest London since 1890 The Candle Factory  112 York Road  Battersea  SW11 3RS  020 7326 9440   enquiries@hanne.co.uk  www.hanne.co.uk 

Promote your business for FREE on My Virtual Wandsworth Local business is essential for our economy. They bring growth and innovation to our communities. They also provide employment, create entrepreneurship opportunities and help make our town centres so special and unique.

Wandsworth Council is urging residents to shop local and support local businesses.

The Council has recently joined forces with My Virtual Neighbourhood to launch My Virtual Wandsworth, an online platform which helps residents find out which independent shops, cafes, restaurants in the borough are continuing to trade.

Businesses/members of the public can upload details of a business for free.

For more information and to add your business visit: wandsworth.gov.uk/my-virtual-wandsworth 20 | Business Connexions

E david.hudson@hrdept.co.uk W www.hrdept.co.uk/coronavirus This article was originally published on our website click here Business Connexions | 21

Workforce Training South Thames College works with local employers to support them with training and development needs.

Apprenticeships • We’ll identify how and where an apprentice can benefit your business.

• We’ll help you recruit the right candidate.

• We’ll assist you to access appropriate funding and grants.

Workforce skills We can help you identify skills gaps, recommend training and professional development for your staff, and help access funding where appropriate.

We can design Government funded pre-employment courses to help you fill vacancies and support your recruitment.

Bespoke and Commercial Training

Contact our Team today:

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Free Online Professional Development Training for Your Staff Find out more at south-thames.ac.uk/freeprofessional-development-training-for-your-staff

Part of the South Thames Colleges Group

business@south-thames.ac.uk www.south-thames.ac.uk

South Thames College goes the “distance” during

the Covid-19 crisis and will be here stronger than ever to play its part in the Borough’s recovery South Thames College, like all schools and colleges across the land, remains closed during the Covid-19 crisis, except to students in vulnerable positions and children of key workers who are physically attending at one of the other colleges in the Group (Merton).

Learning has moved online and “at distance”, using our Moodle virtual learning environment as the centrepiece, and with teachers using a whole range of interactive tools to support students including skype and zoom lessons, other contact via email and phone and all sorts of different ways of assessing, with performing arts students delivering soliloquies via skype, fashion and make up students using home sourced materials to continue making, and construction students sorting out all sorts of domestic based equipment problems, sometimes to the pleasure of their parents, and on other occasions to their frustration.

Whilst this is undoubtedly a time for new ideas, creativity and innovation, it is also a time where anxiety is high, and much support is being provided to all students, including our adult and work based learners who face the combination of family worries, employment concerns, and perhaps anxiety about elderly relatives, alongside their own efforts to maintain their focus on study.

Andrew Slade, Principal of South Thames College explained that “the College has been working tirelessly to engage with all of its current learners through online digital avenues. We have also developed an online course offer to support business and individuals who require training (https://www.souththames.ac.uk/free-professionaldevelopment-training-for-your-staff).

This has been directed by feedback from our employer network and by working closely with Wandsworth Council Officers. These training opportunities will continue to develop in the coming months, so that we can support businesses across a range of training needs and individuals back into work.

We as a team, would like to give everybody within our community in Wandsworth our best wishes and we will continue to support, wherever possible, as we move through and out of this difficult time”.

The College has also been pulling together with the NHS and communities during this difficult time. In addition to providing science laboratory goggles to help those working in local hospitals, South Thames College’s Access to HE: Fashion students, and staff, have teamed together to support the NHS during this pandemic. Students have been busy making scrubs for a local hospital (a set of scrubs for use in the children’s ward are featured in the pictures above) and South Thames College tutors have been working hard coordinating the delivery of material and patterns to students and ensuring they get them to the hospital.

Matt Walker, Deputy Head of School, is working with a local residents group who are fund raising and have so far raised over £1,500 to pay for the materials to make the scrubs and also to make scrub bags for the key workers to carry PPE home with them.

Matt commented, “As soon as I heard about the initiative I was keen for the students at South Thames College to be involved and the Access to HE: Fashion students have fully embraced the opportunity to do what they can to help the NHS making scrubs from recycled materials and there are more lined up once we have more fabric and patterns. It’s a fantastic effort by the department, and the students are doing such a phenomenal job with this and the staff who are liaising and co-ordinating with all parties to turn a small idea into a reality, are a real credit to South Thames College”.

Vicky Harding, South Thames College Access to HE: Fashion student commented, “At the beginning of this I felt a bit useless but I’m glad that the skills I have are valuable in making a contribution to support the frontline.”

The College is also looking to the future, how it can play its part in getting Wandsworth, and the country, back on its feet when the Covid-19 crisis has passed, and support the economy, including those in work and those who have been unfortunate enough to lose theirs, and will need training, or retraining for different careers.

Once the current health crisis passes, which we all hope will be sooner rather than later, South Thames College feels it is excellently placed to support the borough, the capital, and the population to gain the education and training they need at a difficult time for all. The successful outcome of the College’s recent [February 2020] Ofsted inspection provides robust evidence of such capability.

The College was delighted with the awarding of an overall Grade 2, ‘Good’. Of particular note to local employers was the highlighting within the report of the positive working relationships with employers and a curriculum offer aligned to the needs of employers and local industries: “Leaders are highly effective in engaging employers in curriculum development. They work closely with local authorities and local businesses to plan for future skills needs.” It further praises the College Group on how well it prepares its students for progression to their next step stating that: “Teachers ensure that students and apprentices know how to conduct themselves in professional contexts and are well prepared for future employment.” The report goes on to say: “Students and apprentices gain valuable insights into the demands and rewards of work through site visits and work experience.”

Andrew Slade, South Thames College Principal is “extremely pleased to report that the College achieved an excellent Ofsted

result, this year, under the new Education Inspection Framework and is the first to achieve this in London. Our results for over a thousand young people and nine thousand adult enrolments are some of the highest in London and nationally, which enable our learners to progress to successful and sustainable futures. Therefore, this achievement and accolade was a fantastic result not only for all the work that our amazing teaching teams and support staff consistently carry out. It also celebrates the extremely strong partnerships we have with Wandsworth Council, Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce, employers and the large number of other stakeholders who support and add vitality and validity to our work to inspire and support learners to thrive, succeed and progress.”

Group Principal and CEO (of South Thames Colleges Group), Peter Mayhew Smith added; “The time since our merger has been really well used, raising standards, and strengthening our common culture.

We are very proud of the progress we have made and can face the future with great confidence.”

Rob Fulston, Chair of Governors expressed his appreciation; “We are delighted with the recent inspection report, which validates all the hard work and commitment of our staff. On behalf of all the Governors, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone involved.”

Much of the College’s success has only been achieved through the working partnership we have with local organisations, and we thank you for supporting us.

Going forward we are confident in our ability to turn that gratitude into support to local organisations in their recovery post COVID-19.

To find out more about how you can work with South Thames College, and its education and training offer please see: https://www.south-thames.ac.uk/# For details of the online course offer to support business, and individuals, who require training during a period of furlough or to generally develop and acquire new skills and knowledge visit: https://www.south-thames.ac.uk/free-professional-development-training-for-your-staff Business Connexions | 23

Cleaning Services LET US HELP KEEP YOUR PREMISES CLEAN & HYGIENIC

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TECHNOLOGY

5 Top Tips to help you

Navigate the New Norm As Covid-19 forces widespread working from home, these 5 tips will help:

1. Securing Accounts 2. Securing Devices

3. Virtual Meetings

4. Documents

5. Hardware

• Ensure all users have strong passwords • Use Multifactor authentication wherever possible • Logins must not be shared

• With numerous solutions available for internal team and external client meetings, secure access is key – e.g. use password protection, authenticate users, make use of waiting rooms

• Having difficulty with VPN or emailing files?

Consider migrating to a platform such as Microsoft Teams allowing real-time collaboration on documents

• If your WFH team is struggling with old equipment, leasing devices could be an effective solution • An equipment audit can help assess current and future needs and set priorities

• All devices should have a password or pin code • Automatic software updates should be configured • Antivirus software should be installed • Laptops should have full encryption enabled

Let Shoal IT be your trusted technology partner….

Security and transparency are at the heart of our business.

Shoal ensures that we have a deep understanding of your needs before providing and implementing appropriate and cost-effective solutions.

We cover many IT areas including security, remote working, connectivity, software, hardware – all to provide our clients with effective business enablers.

We provide Managed Services where Shoal is your “virtual” IT department, not only giving you 24/7 access to our UK-based helpdesk but also proactive monitoring and maintenance of your IT systems.

We also undertake one-off and on-going Project work to aid your business’s development.

With Cyber Security a key focus, we provide a range of alternatives from a one-off cyber audit to helping you acquire and maintain the UK Government’s Cyber Essentials certification.

Shoal IT Solutions was founded by Mike Fish in 2002 and has been providing a professional and friendly service ever since to help clients find the right solutions for their varied SME businesses.

In an ever-evolving digital world, IT is the critical mainstay for any business, necessary to ensure secure day to day running of your systems, build new tools or use IT to grow your business.

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Many find the IT industry confusing, unsure about what is really needed and the associated costs. Let Shoal IT guide you to the right solutions for your business.

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NEWS

BATTERSEA POWER STATION

to donate a further £125,000 to Local Charities to help address the impact of COVID-19

Stepping Stones to recovery

By Shelley Routledge, Director, Narratorial Whilst the lockdown happened swiftly, the road to recovery is proving slightly more complex.

If you are feeling daunted about getting your business back on track, there are a few steps you can take, to ensure you are visible and that your clients know you are still hanging in there!

With this in mind, here are a few of my tried and tested PR hacks to get you back to where you need to be: Be the best storyteller you can be it is not as difficult as you might think - so become one! Let your customers, clients know what you were doing during the lockdown and emphasise any good deeds you did for the community. You might be surprised by the feeling of customer loyalty that this will bring.

Under-promise and overdeliver! All your clients/customers will know these are testing times, so do not be afraid to say how you are trying to comply with all the new rules and would appreciate a little support. Make it your personal objective to exceed all expectations and do not hesitate to ask for reviews when you do.

Aim to create a space that lets your business community speak and be heard. Some of the best and most viewed content is user generated because it becomes a conversation.

Showcase the voices of your clients/ customers via social media or email marketing. It works!

www.narratorial.co.uk Email Shelley Routledge at narratorial@gmail.com or call on 07527177334

26 | Business Connexions

The Battersea Power Station Foundation has pledged a further £125,000 to the local community to help those who are being directly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Local charities and organisations which focus on vitally important areas such as combatting digital poverty, access to food, tackling mental health, domestic violence and supporting the elderly during isolation will be able to apply for funding. A partnership has been formed with the London Community Response Fund, which supports groups impacted

by COVID-19 across the capital.

The BPS Foundation has already contributed £25,000 to a number of charities throughout the lockdown period.

These include Age UK Wandsworth, which provides support to the elderly, especially to those who have underlying health conditions and have been asked to self-isolate for three months, St George’s Hospital Charity to help support the hospital’s Coronavirus appeal, the Wandsworth Foodbank which helps tackle the ever more prominent food poverty crisis and the Power to Connect Campaign.

In April, Battersea Power Station and Wandsworth Council joined up with local community partners to launch the Power to Connect campaign, to help address the issue of digital exclusion during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Power to Connect campaign aims to support disadvantaged families and NHS patients across the local community who are finding it difficult to stay connected by providing refurbished laptops or tablets that have been donated and top-up data vouchers to access internet.

Launched in 2016, the BPS Foundation aims to invest in effective community-based organisations which are working to make lasting improvements in the lives of people and neighbourhoods in the boroughs of Wandsworth and Lambeth. Since then, the BPS Foundation has donated over £5 million to local charities and organisations including Carney’s Community, FAST-Battersea and Elays Network.

Sports club joins Community Box Initiative A sports club has got involved in an initiative to help disadvantaged families in the COVID-19 lockdown.

Roehampton Club has joined forces with Rackets Cubed, a charity that runs integrated sports, education and nutrition programmes to inner-city children, to deliver community boxes to families who need them.

Each community box contains healthy foods, hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste and toilet paper, colouring books, pencils, games, magazines, indoor ‘sports’ and reading and maths books.

Community boxes have been delivered to more than 200 families in the Roehampton area, with more planned in the coming weeks. Across the seven sites nationally, Rackets Cubed delivered community boxes to almost 1,000 families in Leeds, Hull,

London, Birmingham and the West Midlands in the space of just one week. Roehampton Club said: “We have been working with Rackets Cubed for the last four years.

We were the founding programme and many of our members are actively involved. We are pleased to announce that the club has joined the community box programme as a lead local partner, and we will support the growth of this wonderful initiative in our area.

“The children Rackets Cubed works with are having a much harder lockdown than most of us. These families live on the Alton Estate, the largest council estate in Europe, in small flats. For these children and their parents, this lockdown is a very different experience and we, along with Rackets Cubed, are trying to help them.”

Businesses and individuals who want to donate money can do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/campaign/Roehamptoncommunitybox

ENVIRONMENT

Sustainability is key We can all think of many reasons why we can’t take climate action in the workplace or our homes: cost, lack of knowledge and length of the lease might all be potential barriers that have so far impeded your pathway to sustainability.

Yet, simple measures such as installing LED lighting can be inexpensive and will pay back in a short space of time.

CREW can provide project scoping, financial modelling, funding advice and project management – helping you every step of the way.

Likewise, smart systems that control your heating and heat transfer solutions can cut heating and cooling consumption by as much as 25%.

CREW can help you understand what Government subsidies are available for products such as renewable heat and what grants are being offered both locally and nationally. Many energy efficiency measures are open to capital gains allowances and can be offset against profits.

CREW Energy is a Wandsworth and Merton based low-carbon energy co-operative that is on hand to support with the knowledge gap.

If you are interested in solar PV, renewable heating or EV charge points, we can help you understand your options and what is viable.

So, let us help you over these hurdles and on to the path to sustainability.

Contact us at info@crewenergy.london for more information.

Two shouts this quarter: CREW has launched a COVID response call back service to help residents who cannot pay their energy bills or top up prepaid meters.

Contact us at energycafe@crewenergy.london for help.

CREW will be launching two community share offers this summer, which will provide sustainability measures for two local charities: Devas Club, a youth centre in Battersea, and the Polka Children’s Theatre in Wimbledon.

For your chance to invest ethically and locally visit www.crewenergy.london Business Connexions | 27

020 8088 9678 www.riverside-nursery.co.uk Is your child struggling with confidence? Preparing for an exam?

Or looking for some extra support at school?

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Riverside Nursery Does your child have an interest in coding? We have a club for that! Looking for a fun and educational club for half term, Easter and summer? We got you covered! has opened a StudyBox Tuition Centre We’re open 4 - 6 pm weekdays & Saturday mornings. We are located to the rear of Riverside Nursery, Ensign House, Battersea Reach, Juniper Drive, SW18 1TA at Battersea Reach!

YOU can book a FREE TRIAL today! by calling 020 8088 9987 or email: battersea@studybox.london

HEALTH & WELLBEING

NEW STUDY highlights work-life imbalance

Half of employees working from home during the lockdown are unhappy with their work-life balance, according to the results of a new survey.

A poll of 500 workers conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) during the first two weeks of the lockdown found that 50% of respondents were not happy with their current worklife balance, with 48% putting in longer and more irregular hours than they would under normal circumstances.

More than one in four (43%) said they didn’t have enough time to get their work done, 36% felt under too much work pressure while 26% continued working despite being ill.

Although work motivation was holding up for most, especially if they were in regular contact with their manager, 34% worried that decisions were being taken without their knowledge or consent.

These statistics were part of the interim findings of an ongoing study into the wellbeing of home workers since the government imposed severe restrictions on movement and social contact in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The study highlighted a general fall in respondents’ wellbeing on various levels.

Rising concerns over matters such as job security and the health of family members were causing sleep loss for 64% of respondents, with six in ten claiming they were fatigued. One fifth (20%) reported increased alcohol consumption, 33% were eating less healthily and 60% were exercising less since the lockdown started.

One third reported frequent feelings of isolation and 45% admitted that their day was not filled with interesting things to do.

There was also a rise in physical complaints. More than half of respondents reported new aches and pains associated with bad posture, including in their necks (58%), shoulders (56%), backs (55%) and – worryingly – chest (33%). Almost four in ten (39%) had experienced heartburn or indigestion, while headaches or migraines were a complaint for 55% of respondents.

The survey said mental health was poorer for younger members of the workforce, those new to homeworking and those working more than ten hours longer than their contracted hours per week. Those in less frequent contact with their boss also had lower levels of wellbeing.

In light of these results, the IES has highlighted several actions that employers could take to improve wellbeing among their workforce: • Make sure home ‘office’ set-up is safe and ergonomic and that employees are mobile and take exercise • Provide mental health support via informal messaging groups, virtual coffee mornings, access to EAPs and regular contact with bosses and colleagues • Focus on “high risk” groups – financial concerns, eldercare, those struggling to adjust, those prone to feelings of isolation, those at risk of domestic abuse • Rethink performance targets and monitoring, and involve employees in decisions about reorganising work and reallocating tasks & priorities Business Connexions | 29

Pococks Chartered Accountants, Business and Insolvency Advisors Financial services Whether it’s resolving cash flow problems or payroll and business restructuring, you can rely on us. Call us for help with funding VAT payments and general business advice.

Secure your company’s future We turn around businesses that are struggling to gain profit or pay staff. With a team of experts in business and law, we can be relied upon to help you make the right decisions to secure your company’s future.

Business plans for survival When your business is not doing well and you need expert advice from real entrepreneurs, call Pococks. Our experts will find the right solution to help your business to recover.

Free initial consultation We offer help if you have received a Winding Up Petition, Statutory Demand, had a visit from HMRC or Bailiff or threats from Creditors. If you want a free no obligation consultation call today.

• Making your business work for you • FREE company health check • Check your business is viable before you Invest or take a salary holiday For FREE initial Health Check email

mp@pococksinsolvency.com or call 07801 178 848 We will send you our questionnaire followed by a FREE ZOOM MEETING or telephone call once you have sent the requested information.

THE PERSON BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Health Check

lessons from history

In 1994 Martin Pocock who trained with PWC (then Coopers and Lybrand) formed Pocock’s Chartered Accounts, offering services to companies in financial difficulty.

Pococks Chartered Accountant is one of a growing network of business recovery specialists who can help companies in danger of going out of business. Help may be in the form of one business entering into an insolvency process and a new one being set up. This should be avoided but may be neceassy in order to protect the business owners’ personal assets.

Martin’s key message is: - do not invest personal funds or personally guarantee a loan for a business until you have considered the below. If you are not confident in doing the below seek advice from a firm like Pococks. He has seen many company owners end up in financial ruin as they failed to seek advice early.

Throughout his career he has helped many companies and Directors and if there is one message it is those that act early recover early and go onto thrive or at least save a lot money and their matrimonial home.

Covid is an opportunity for us to reflect on what we are doing and potentially come out stronger. It has also severely affected business cashflow with many business’s receiving no income since lockdown whilst still incurring liabilities. Cash will be king in the post lockdown world. Whilst in lockdown business owners should review their options.

Remember you are in business to make money not lose.

Now is the time to take stock. Knowing what you want is a great starting point. I have seen many people struggling and sacrificing their lives for a company that will not give them anything in return. The owner would never put up with the situation and the suffering caused to their family if they were an employee.

Immediate Action – Unsecured Loans grants etc Look at immediate income and help during Covid for example, furloughed staff, see if you were entitled to Government grants via your local authority, applied for a bounce back or Cbill loan through your bank, deferred paying HMRC, deferred paying Landlord and only pay key creditors.

All the above helps conserve cash but bear in mind other creditors may take recovery action so they may have to be paid.

If you have not done the above, you should seek advice as you may limit your options going forward. Fortunately, help is at hand for those businesses that need it most.

If you are the director of limited company then unless you have personally guaranteed the Landlord most of your debt will be unsecured. Once the lockdown comes to an end the business may need additional funding. This is to repay the bounce back loan, HMRC, balance of employees’ wages, trade creditors and the landlord. These liabilities are only deferred not written off.

Post Lockdown Loans Beware of Pitfalls Institutions providing the post lockdown loans will probably require the director to give a personal guarantee. If you own a property, then your property will be at risk.

Many directors in the past have taken loans from well known companies and are unaware that they have given personal guarantees. Do not be fooled by assurances given by salesman that banks and other financial institutions will not force you to sell your house in the event you default on the loan. They will and in some instances force you into bankruptcy or to do an Individual Voluntary Arrangement.

Also make sure that the provider of the loan cannot ask for early repayment.

Directors fail to understand that if you pay creditors using a personally guaranteed loan this is effectively you paying the creditor personally as the financial institution you borrowed the money from you seek to recover from you personally in the event of a default

Essential to Establish A common cause of insolvency is cash flow.

You need to test your company cash flow to see how strong the business is. A short term failure to meet cash flow can result in a creditor issuing a Winding Up Petition against the company forcing the business to close.

In addition to a cashflow review the business owner will need to list the company’s assets and liabilities and see if assets exceed liabilities. If liabilities exceed assets establish the deficit. Remember if the deficit is £100,000 and you invest £50,000 of your own money the business is still insolvent and the £50,000 will be lost.

It would probably be better to have used this money in starting up a new business and closing down the old. Take advice before investing funds in the business.

The best way to check if the business is viable is question if it is able to provide you with an income. If the business cannot provide you with an income, then this is a key sign it may not be a viable business.

As unpalatable as it may sound you should consider liquidating the company seek employment elsewhere or start up a new business that will.

What not to do We have seen many business owners invest personal funds and time into a loss-making business. This money and time is not recoverable.

Martin’s final message to company directors is MAKE SURE THE BUSINESS WILL REPAY THE TIME AND MONEY YOU HAVE INVESTED IN IT and help you live the life you want.

Martin, Founder of Pocock’s Chartered Accountants, deals with all aspects of corporate finance and insolvency, including company administrations, compulsory liquidations, high court winding up petitions, HMRC Time to Pay agreements and company voluntary arrangements (CVAs), a legally binding agreement which allows a company to pay back a proportion of its debts to creditors over a period of time. Martin is also well placed to help company owners grapple with difficult questions about their business.

Business Connexions | 31

Chamber Events

Scan the QR code (Caltrics.com) with your phone camera to see our events and get them in your calendar app.

E V A S e t a d the

Until circumstances allow, we will continue to have online events via the Zoom platform.

In addition to our regular forum and open for business events we will be having a number of seminars and workshop Please vist the events page of our website regularly to see these.

London Open for Business Program Your Best Digital Friend in Business EVERY MONDAY (Commencing 22nd June) 10.30 AM to 11.30 AM Venue: ONLINE Registration Link: https://cutt.ly/4yNSyUB

Wandsworth Coronavirus Business Forum Connect with Wandsworth Council and Experts EVERY WEDNESDAY (Until further notice) 11 AM to 12.30PM Venue: ONLINE Registration Link: https://cutt.ly/ZyNAqnQ

For further details go to

www.wandsworthchamber.org/events

32 | Business Connexions

STARTING UP

WELCOME

to new members Ark Putney Academy

Pullman Gardens London SW15 3DG 020 8788 3421 s.rout@arkputneyacademy.org

Blueprint

123 Disraeli Road Putney SW15 2DZ 07973 292 352 lucy.hayman@blueprintpartners.com

Cosmos Performance Ltd

85 White House Vicarage Crescent London SW11 3LH 020 7164 6586 info@cosmosperformanceltd.com

Excess Retail Ltd

Unit 4-5 Watlington Ind. Estate Watlington OX49 5LA 02034 415 853 raj@excess-retail.co.uk

Natasha Chatur Coaching

203a St Johns’s Hill London SW11 1TH natasha.chatur@gmail.com

New Vistas Avant Garde Limited

Unit 116,105 Culvert Court Battersea SW11 5AU 02086 721 147 dale.richards@newvistasavantgarde.co.uk

Pococks Chartered Accountants, Insolvency and Business Advisors

26 Tangmere Grove Kingston upon Thames KT2 5GT 07801 178 848 mp@pococksinsolvency.com

Players Sportswear

89 Norroy Road London SW151PH zanir@outlook.com

RV Chauffeurs Ltd

51 Berry House Dagnall Street LONDON SW11 5DL +44 2076 225 848 info@rvchauffeurs.co.uk

SW Fruit And Veg

Apartment 701, Sesame Apartment 4 Holman Road London SW113PG 07928 712 251 mikey@swfruitandveg.com

The Ordo founders, L-R: Mike Banyard, Nick Caplan, Craig Tillotson, Fliss Berridge, George Odling

Starting Up...

Fliss Berridge, Director and Co-founder ORDO www.ordohq.com Q1 Tell us a bit about your business?

Ordo makes getting paid easy – wherever you and your customer are.

We make it simple for businesses to bill their customers, and easy for their customers to make the payment. Using Ordo means instant, straight to your bank account payments; we’re much safer and lower cost than taking card payments and other alternatives… all possible because of new payment regulations called Open Banking. We’re integrated with Quickbooks, Xero coming soon, so it couldn’t be easier.

Have a read at www.ordohq.com Q2 What gives your business ‘the x-factor’?

Imagine if….

• in a glance, you could see exactly who’s paid you and who hasn’t, • taking payment cost a fraction of what it does today, • you were certain you’d protected yourself and your customers from fraud, • your customers could easily and instantly pay you, without reconciliation headaches, and without needing to securely manage card or account details…

We did. Ordo makes getting paid easy.

Q3 What motivated you to set up in business?

Payments are boring! But people deal with payments daily, so it matters when they’re not working: Businesses are paying 1%-4% in card/electronic payment fees - that’s £6 on a £200 bill… your business is only getting £194. Fraud is a treatable menace – it cost innocent victims £1.2bn in 2018 alone and, exacerbated by coronavirus, people feel money is out of their control.

Ordo has solved these problems.

Banks and other payment methods have old technology and want to keep their lucrative fees, but there’s now a cheaper, quicker and fairer way to get paid, using Ordo, and we want everyone to benefit.

Q4 What do you like most about working for start-up?

Everything’s up for grabs! From our parent policy to branding to our growth strategy…it’s all for the imagining! And if something doesn’t work, it’s up to us to notice and find a way that does. Then implement it.

Immediately. No excuses. You can’t hide, but you can change a lot.

Q5 What has been your greatest business success to date?

Our highs have been our partnerhips with Quickbooks and (in process) Xero so we can help businesses, and getting authorised by the FCA so that people know they can trust us. One day that I’ll remember forever is when we heard we’d secured investment from Nationwide Building Society – a partnership built on shared values that’s very important to us. We treated ourselves to a glass of bubbly that day!

Q6 What has been your lowest moment?

Lockdown! We launched in lockdown – we could see Ordo would help individuals and businesses know where they are with their finances and feel in control – in such an uncertain time that’s something, so we started our Neighbour2Neighbour campaign (check it out at www.ordohq.com) and made it free for individuals, and free for businesses to try Ordo out – a bit crazy for a startup, but it was our way of contributing to the huge altruistic effort going on across communities.

Q7 In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

Our research shows, since Coronavirus, 80% of people have money worries and 40% are cancelling direct debits.

Ordo empowers businesses and individuals to be and feel on top of their finances; we want Ordo to be a household name when it comes to payments, synonymous with control and peace of mind, for businesses and consumers alike.

Q8 What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Just do it. Nike have a good slogan!

I should probably say something to quote our own, but people respond to authenticity and genuine need.

Think about what you’re actually making easier, then don’t think too much and go for it. And use Ordo… we’re making getting paid easy!

Business Connexions | 33 Business Connexions | 33

5 MINUTES WITH ...

5 minutes

with ...

Geoff Lloyd

Director and co-founder of Caltrics Q Who are you?

Q Ideal Customer?

Q Your inspiration

Hi, I am Geoff Lloyd, a Director and co-founder of Caltrics. I am a long-term resident in Wandsworth and Caltrics has been a member of Wandsworth Chamber for the last four years.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) and/or one of the major political parties in the UK.

Bill Gates - He has not only hugely advanced the world’s use of computer technology but he and his wife’s foundation have used their considerable wealth to address some of the world’s most serious health issues.

Q What’s your business all about?

Caltrics (www.caltrics.com) is an internet calendaring platform that delivers enriched, branded and free ‘event’ information into calendar apps on phones and laptops.

Subscribers to internet calendars are individuals that are looking for information such as sport fixtures (at club, national or tournament level), and business networking, historical, political, Arts and educational events.

Customers are businesses and membership organisations that want their customers, members, followers and supporters to know when their events are taking place, or who want to use an internet calendar of events to keep their brand name in front of their audience. Local examples include Wandsworth Chamber and Rosslyn Park FC.

Q Three words to describe yourself?

Determined, enthusiastic and focused.

34 | Business Connexions

Q Biggest achievement?

In 2019 the Caltrics website was visited from 174 countries. Through an introduction by a fellow chamber member, we also provided internet calendars for the Greater London Authority and London South Bank University, relating to an initiative of the London Mayor.

Q Biggest gripe?

Whilst business investment schemes (EIS and SEIS) are beneficial and geared to giving tax breaks to external investors, insufficient tax breaks are provided to business creators.

Q Philosophy in Business?

Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself.

Q Sporting Hero?

Jonny Wilkinson - as an English rugby supporter, who can forget that moment, a drop goal to win the Rugby World Cup, now long ago in 2003.

Q Biggest tip for success?

Perseverance, there is always a solution.

‘Subscribers to internet calendars are individuals that are looking for information such as sport fixtures (at club, national or tournament level), and business networking, historical, political, Arts and educational events.’

Scan the QR code (Caltrics.com) with your phone camera to see our events and get them in your calendar app.

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